Loading device.



R. 0. COUCH a G..A. CABELL.

LOADING DEVICE. APPLIOATIDN FILED MAY 15.1909.

R. o. comm L c. A. CABBLL. LOADING DEVICE.

APPLICATION EXLED MAY 16. 1908. 908,395. Patented 1380.29. 1908. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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R. 0. COUGH n C. A. GABELL.

LOADING DEVICE.

00a/522 Tow Mall mw W anhin,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

ROYDEN 0. CO UGH, OF CHARLESTON, AND CHARLES A.. CABELL, OF CARBON, WEST VIRGINIA.

LOADING DEVICE Specification of Lettera Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

To all whom 'it may Be it known that concern: we, RornnN O. (loUoH and CHARLES A. (innert, citizens of the United States, residing at Charleston and Carbon, respectively, in the county of Kanawha und State of West Virginia,

have ni Journaled the apparatus may be propelled back and forth upon the track, as will be readily under-stood. 0n the shaft 7 is aspur drive gear 9 which meshes with a rtransmitting gear 10 on a power-transmitting shaft 11 'n bearings 12 on the truck in rear vented new and useful improvements in of said sha't 7. The gear 1() is loose on the Loading Devices, of which t a specification.

` This invention relates to improvements in loading devices, comprehending an apparatus for loading coal or other loose material from the ground or floor into cars or other receptacles or transferring the maten ie following is rial from one point to another.

The principal object of thc invention is to provide a4 comparativelvY simple and inexpensive 4onstruction ol' loading device for loading cars in mines or elsewhere, and which is adapted to operate rapidly and economically.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of the nrxel features of construction, combination am arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which f Figures 1 and 1fL represent collectively a side elevation of our improved loading apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vert-ical transverse seetion online 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the scoop or shovel and connecting p'arts. Fig. f1 is a sectional view through the transmission and clutch gears.

- Fig. 5 is a detail view of the ratchet and pinion mechanism for operating the scoop or shovel.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 desi nates a supporting platform, which may e stationary or movale, as circumstances may require. In the present instance, the latl'orm comprises a truck mounted on vront and rear sets of supporting wheels 2 and 3 adapted to traverse track rails. The axles 2a and 31 of these wheels are suitably journaled upon the platform or truck body, and to the axle 2 or one of wheels 2 is fixed a sprocket wheel 4 connected by a chain 5 with a inion 6 on a main drive shaft 7 mounts in suitable bearings 8. The shaft 7 is designed in practice to be driven by w rtriixble motor, not shown, `mounted on the truck, which motor may be' electrically or otherwise driven. B r the driving mechanism just described t ie truck supporting the parts of shaft 11 and is adapted to be engaged by a friction clutch 13 feathered to slide on and rotate with the shaft, said clutch having connected therewith a grooved collar 14 operatively connected with a shifting lever 15, by which the clutch may be thrown into and out of action.

Supported by the shaft 11 and extending upwardly therefrom is a pair of spaced stand ards 16, forming part of the supporting frame for the gearing of the apparatus. ceured adjacent its rear ends to the fupper ends of the standard is a feed conveyor frame 17 comprising suitablyA connected spaced yside-boards, secured at their forward ends to plates 18, the lower edges of which are arranged to form shoes or runners 19 to slide upon the surface of the floor or ground. A feed conveyer 20, in the form of an endless apron, is carried by said frame 17 and passes at its upper rear end around the guide roll 21, on one end of the shaft 22 of which is a beveled gear 23. The forward end of the apron Apasses around-a guide-roll 24, the shaft 25 of which has its ends arranged to slide vertically in slots 26 in. the plates 18, and this shaft is journaled for rotation in the forward end of a pair of arms 27 disposed between the upper and lower stretches of the conveyer and pivotally mounted at their rear ends upon a transverse shaft 28 supported by the conveyer.frarne, said arms forming a swinging frame permitting the roll 24 to have an up and down movement for a urpose hereinafter described. Between the rolls 21 and 24 the conveyer runs in contact with and is supported by idle rolls 29, the lower one of which is mounted on the shaft 2S.

A vertical shaft 3() is journaled in cross bearlngs 31 connectin the standards 16 and carries at its lower en( a bevel-gear 32 meshing with a bevel-gear 33 on the power transmission shaft 11. On the upper end of this shaft 30- is a similar gear 34 meshing with a bevel gear 35 on a horizontal transverse shaft 36 journaled in the bearing 37 supported partly by one of the stan ards 16 and partly by an oblique frame plate 38 secured at its forward end to a. bracket 39. The

outer end of the shaft 36 projects throu h the plate 68 and carries a bevel gear 40 Ines 1- ing with a bevel gear 4.1 on a shaft 42 journalcd in bearings on theouter side of the adjacent standard 16 and the upper rear por tion of the conveyor frame 17, the up )er rear end of said shaft 42 carrying a bevel-pinon 43 meshing with the gear' 23, by which, when the transmission gear 16 is clutched to the shaft ll, 'motion u ill he communicated to drive the conveyor. l

rlhc upper rear end of the conveyor fratrie 17 overhangs the inner forward end of a delivery conveyor tulme 44 similar in general construction to the frame 17. The frame 44 is supported by uprights 45 integral with. the bearings of 'the axle 3, and is stayed from the truck by braces 46. A conveyor apron 47 is mounted in said frame 44 to travel over rolls 48 and 49 and in contact with suitable supporting idlers 56. 'lhe inner roll 49 has attached to one end of its shaft a bevel gear 51 meshin sith a pinion 52 on the upper rear end o a shaft 53 journaled in bearings upon the cons eyer frame and one of the braces 46 and carrying at its lon er fora ard end a bevel gear 54 meshing with a gear 55 on the transmission shaft 11, by which the delivery conveyor will operate simultaneously vl ith the feed conveyor when the gear 10 is clutched to said transmission shaft. The material discharging from the gear elevoted end of the apron 20 falls upon an inn clihed ide plate or conductor 56 hy which it is ler to and deposited upon the upper surface ol" the delivery conveyor 47.

1n practice, the trame of the apparatus in entirety is refcrably made of angle-iron or steel with its parte bolted or riveted to gcther, thus securing durabilit and strength with lightness of structure. he feed apron frame inclincs downwardl and forwardly from the truck so that tie runner frame formed hy the Vlates 1S at the front thereof will rest squarely upon. and be sup orted by and may slide over the surface o. the floor or ground as the apparat-us is propelled iorwardly or backwardly. The delivery c011- veyer frame 44 may extend on an upward and rearward inclination, as shown, to deliver the gathered material into a car or other receptacle, or may be arranged to extend in any' direction or at any angle as circunn4 stances may require to deposit the material upon the ground at any point in rear of the apparatus and upon either sido of the track Wely. f

n order to increase thc efliciency of the apparatus the parts may be mounted upon a turrets, Yle or otherwise constructed to swing in order that the gathering mer/harp xsneI hereinafter described, may be moved in various directions to take up the material and the delivery conveyor shifted to dis charge the material at a desired elevation or angle. Such means for mounting the parts `may be of any of the ordinary types in common use, and hence l have not deemed it necessary to show the application of the same to the apparatus.

The gathering mechanism for 4taking up and conducting the material to the feed conveyor comprises a scoop or shovel 57, shown in Fig. 3 in the form of a rectangular plane hinged by a transverse rod or shaft 58 to a yoke 59 on the Aforward end of an operating rod 60. The yoke extends beneath the lower end of the vfeed conveyer, while the shovel 57 is in guided connection with the runner trarne plates 1S for movement beneath the forward ond of the conveyor and in advance thereof. As shown, the shovel 57 and shaft- 58 are provided respectively with flanged-rollers 6l and 62 to travel in Slots 63 extending longitudinally in the runners 19 or lower portions of the frame plates 18,

which slots are formed with upwardly and forwardly curved front terminals 64. ln

operation, the rod 60 is reciprocated back and forth to act-nate the shovelJ which on its forward movement is forced into the material to take up a portion thereof and is caused by the form of the slot ends 64 to swing upwardly and rearwardly at an obli ue angle at the end of its traverse, by

whic l the material Will be elevated to an inclined position for travel by gravity to the feed conveyor. The front and rear termiria-ls oi each slot portion 64 are connected by an oblique by-pass slot 65, through which the, rollers 61 on the shovel are adapted to trave'f on the rearward motion of the shovel, by

whicl'i the shovel will be maintained in its upwardly inclined position untvill its forward end passes the lower endfof t e feed conveyor, thus roviding for the discharge of all the materia by gravity therefrom onto the conveyor.

Iivoted dogs or latches 66 and 67 are provided at the oints of junction of the slots 65 with the en s of the slots 64 to respectively prevent return of the rollers 61 through the slots 64 on the back movement of the shovel and upward passage of said rollers into the slots 65 on the forward movement of the shovel. When, in the forward travel of the shovel, the rollers 61 approach the upper ends of the slots 64- and strike thc dogs 66 the latter swing upwardly to permit passage of said rollers into the upper ends of the slots 65, and then drop hack to normal position to guide the rollers down into the slots 65 and prevent their return through thc slots .64 on the back motion of the shovel. Similarly the dogs 67 swing downward to permit the rollers 6l to pass from the slots 65 to the slots 63 and close said slots 65 against the upward movement of thc rollers therethrough when the shovel is forced for- Ward. Hence it will be seen that provision der to reduce the friction between the shovel l carrying transverse rollers 7 l adapted to is made for operating the shovel in such a manner as to slide it beneath the material and then elevate it to retain the material l taken up and discharge the saine onto the conveyer L20, by which it is delivered to the conveyor 47 for final discharge.

A combined scraper and chute plate o3 is pivoted to the front end of th(` frame 27 and rests at its` free edge upon the sl'iovel. This late GS covers the angle between the forward dnd of the feed conveyer and the shovel and guides the material from the sl'lovel to the conveyor. The plate swings upwardly with the .shovel and downwardly therewith, and as the shovel is retracted slides upon the surface of the same thus clearing the shovel ol. all the particles of material and conducting the same to the conveyor. As the shovel reciprocates and tilts in its movements the lower end o'r' the conveyor, through the frame 27, swings vertically therewith, the shaft 25 in such action traveling in the slots 26, whereby a close relationship between the parte is maintained at all times. ln orand forward edges of the frame arms 27, the latter are provided with rollers 69 which travel in contact with the shovel, as will be readily understood.

The mechanism for reciprocating the shovel is constructed as follows: Connected to the rear end of the red finis a rack bar engage recesses in the periphery oi an actuating wheel or gear 72 mounted on a shaft 73 journaled at one end in the bracket 39 and at its op osite end in a bearing 74. The gear 72 1s arranged u on the end of the shaft projecting beyon the bracket 39, on which is also a contact roller 75 disposed on the outer side of the gear, and lionrnaled on the bracket 39 above and below the gear are guide wheels or rollers 76 and 77 spaced sulvliciently from the gear for the passage ol the rack bar in its respective back and forth movements. The bar 7() is adapted on its forward movement to mesh with the upper surface of the gear 72 and to be held in com tact therewith by the roller 76, and on its rearward movement to mesh with the under surface of said gear and to be held in con tact therewith by the roller 77. The teeth or rollers 71 upon the bar terminate some distance from the respective ends thereof, and at the front and rear ends` of the bars and offset laterally `therefrom to engage the contact roller 75 are segmental shoes or guide members 78 and 79. The gear 72 rotates constantly in a. forward direction and transmits correspondingmotion to the rack bar when the latter is in engagement with the upper surface thereof to propel the shovel forward: I When the rear tooth or roller 7 .1 `comes into engagement with a rccess in the gear, the shoe 79 simultaneously engages the contact roller 75, thus holding said tooth io mesh with the gear, whereby the rear end of thc rod travels downwardly and forwardly with the gear until it is brought to a iosition between the gear and lower guide roller 77, when tl le guiding action of the shoe 7S) and roller 75, in which the roller rides on the shoe as the latter descends, brings the rear end of the bar into the space betweei'i the gear and lower guide roller 7T, whereby the motion of the gear will move the rod rearwardly to retract the shovel. Then the limit of the rearward movement of the bar is reached, the forward end piece thereon connects the bar with the gear in like manner for a reversal of the bar, and the shoe 7S engages the roller 75 and guides the bar in its movement until its lor- Ward end travels around the gear and is brought into position between the same and the roller 76, whm'cupon a meshing engagement will be instituted to again propel the bar forwardly. By means ol' this automatic shifting mechanism, the necessity ol' manie ally operating parts of the apparatus` to rontrol the shovel in its backward and forward movements is avoided. (ln the opposite end of the shalt 73 from the gear 7L is a bevel gear S() which meshes with a silni'lnr" gear S1 on the lower end of a shaft 82 i'onrnaied in the bracket 38. which shaft carries at its upper end a bevel-pinion S3 meshing with the gear 4U on the shaft 36, by which both the feed convcver and shovel operating mechanism are driven from the shaft ll through the intermediate shaft 3U. llcnrc it will be seen that by means ol' thc clutch 13 both of these sets ol' gearingr may be simultaneously thrown into and out of operation. 1t will of course be understood that suitable means is provided for throwing the pinion 6 into and outof :1l-tion when it is desired to propel thc apparatus or bring it to a stop. The back and forth motion of the. machine may be secured by thc use of a reversible engine whereby the shaft 7 may be driven in cithcr direction, or said shaft may be driven constantly by the engine in one direction and suitable reversing gearing provided for use in celnjunction with the gear El. The means for throwing` the pinion G into and out of action may vary, but preferably said pinion is looselj' mounted on the shaft 7 and clutch nicchanrI in employed to connect it thereto. This clutch mechanism may be of any ordinary or suitable type.

From the foregoing rrlescription, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode oi operation of the device will be readily understood, and it will be seen that an apparatus el comparatively simple construction is provided whereby the operation of loading coal and other materials may be quickly and economically carried out.

lill

Having thus described the invention, what l ing We claim as new is 1. In a loading apparatus, a. 'conveyer, a shovel arranged to slide beneath and 1n advance of the conveyor, guiding Ineens for forcing the shovel upwardly at the limit of l its forward movement to an inclined position and bringing it back to a horizontal position upon its rearward movement, e guide for conducting the material from the shovel to the conveyor, and means for operating the conveyor and reciprocating the shovel.

2. n a loading apparatus, a conveyor, a reciprocating shovel, guiding means 'for sliding the shovel forwardly, tilting it u wardly, and causing it to move in en incliner position for n portion of its backward travel, a chute pivotally mounted upon the conveyor and in sliding contact with the shovel, and n ans for o erating the conveyor and reciproca ,ing the s iovel,

3. In a loading apparatus, a conveyor. means for permitting the tilting,r action of the receiving end thereof, a shovel arranged to slide beneath and in advance of the ronveyer, `guiding Ineens for projectingr the sliovelitlpiwardly to an inclined position et the ond of its forward travel and causing it to recede in such position for a iortion of its backward travela Chu to pivotally Conner-ted to the tilting` end of the conveyor and riding in contact with the shovel, and means for o erating the vonveyer and reciprocating tliie shovel.

4. In a loadilnT- apparatus, a conveyor hsv ing a vertical tiltinr' movement ut its receivn ing end, e sliding shovel arranged forA movement beneath ond in udvanie of the receiving end of the conve-yer, Ineens for tilting the shovel to an upwardly inclined position on the forward portion of its movement and withdrawing it in such position until it passes beneath the conveyor, a conductor pivotod to thf;y conveyor and in sliding oontact with' the shovel, ineens for operating the conve er, and means for reciprooatin the shove seid means including automatically reversible rack and pinion gearings.

5. In a loading apparatus, a frame including a pair of guide plates, said plates beprovided With hprizontal guideways curved upwardly at their forward ends and oblique guideways connecting each liorizontal guide-way with the up er end of the curved ortion thereof, guari dogs at the points ofiinterseetion of the guide-Ways, a oonveyer having its receiving end ioeated adju.- oent the guide-way and mounted for vertical movement, e shovel provided with rollers to travel seid guide-ways, a chute (pivotally mounted 'upon the conveyor an resting oosvly upon the shovel, ineens for operating the conveyor and ine-ans for reciprocating the sllove.

(i. .in e ionding apparatus, a reciprocating shovel, dri e gearing i'nriuding e., pinion e rank bar connected with the shovel, and moons for shifting the bar at the iimits of its nio ements for actuation in referee directions by the pinion.

7, In e loading apparatus, asuitable supporting f rame, a oon v@yer carried thereby, a reoipror'oting shovel arranged. to deposit the material ifi-ken up thereby onto the oonreyer, moans for driving the conveyor, dri e gearing for the sho' el including a pinion, guide rollers disposed obo e and below the pinion, n Contact roller disposed ai; one side of the pinion, a ruck bar connected with the shovel and ada-pled to be operated in reverse directions by the pinion, and Contact shoes upon the ende of the bar adapted to cooperate u ith said roller to guide the bar in its ersing rno entente.

8. In e loading apparatus, a supportin freine, feed and doii 'ery con' 'eye-rs earring therein r, n. reeiprocutory sho' e1, ineens for controlling said sho el sind associated thorewith to deliver: the material token up thereby onto the feed con oyero, dri `ing means for the conveyors, and driving means for the sho el, said means including an automatically re .ersible rack and pinion gearing.

ln testimony whereof We afiix our signa tures in presence of two witnesses* ROYDEN 0. COUCH. CHAS. A. CABELL. Witnesses:

E. C. HANNA, T. W. DEW. 

